1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigerators and more particularly to a refrigerator having a separate container or compartment therein to be chilled below the temperature of the remainder of the refrigerator compartment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Separately cooled containers or compartments are utilized in refrigerators for storage of various food items. U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,988 discloses a side-by-side refrigerator-freezer in which the refrigerator compartment is divided into a high humidity compartment and a low humidity compartment. Cold air from the freezer is ducted around the exterior of the high humidity compartment and is then ducted through the low humidity compartment before it returns to the freezer. In this manner, there is no flow of air from the freezer through the high humidity compartment. A parallel flow heat exchanger is provided in the air flow path so that the air from the freezer is slightly warmed before it circulates around the exterior of the high humidity compartment and then is recooled prior to entering the low humidity compartment. However, all of the air is directed in a single flow path over the evaporator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,866 discloses a refrigerator defroster-humidifier which utilizes a humidity exchanger in an air flow path between a freezer compartment and a refrigerator compartment in which moisture is extracted from air passing from the refrigerator compartment to the freezer compartment and humidity is returned to air flowing from the freezer compartment to the refrigerator compartment to permit the refrigerator compartment to maintain a relatively high humidity compared to the relatively low humidity of the freezer compartment. A single flow of air across the evaporator plate is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,035 discloses a defrost control, including a vertically extending evaporator positioned in thermal contact with the back wall of a chamber. The defrost sensor is arranged above the evaporator and within the boundary layer of thickness of air in natural convection so that the sensor will terminate the defrost operation relative to the temperature of the evaporator.